Art, Design, Function, Writing

Category Archives: My Blogs

The St. Patrick’s week-end provided AVA a great opportunity to show their first wave of collaborative works. Thanks to the kind and generous sponsorship of The Oasis Studio/Susan Palmer, a beautiful gallery setting was possible. This was a pop-up show, two days only. Collaborative works are becoming more common, and are becoming a new aspect of art for collectors to pursue.

A community canvas gave visitors to the show an opportunity to experience painting a collaborative work and to develop an appreciation of the transformative effect from beginning to end.

Currently, AVA is participating in the Museum of Friends “Earth” show–now showing through June 17.

It has been an interesting journey, that of being an artist. I became an artist, not by a traditional route (education/degree), but by calling. One day, I was called to create, and so I did. Yes, just like that. And it is a journey that has been my saving grace, my desire, my unknown yet anticipated future, ever since. With years behind me, now, I can see how my creative practice has transformed, not only what I am putting down on canvas, but myself as well. I have written earlier of art being every artists own self portrait. I see how the art I create is also a story, an autobiography, created one transformative chapter at a time.

At this time, reading the chapters has led to an awareness of the purpose behind it all. I have often sighed, in a bookstore, thinking “…and who needs to write another book, when all this already exists?” And I have often signed in beautiful galleries, thinking “…and who needs to paint another painting, when all this already exists?” And the answer, barely heard at first, is now loud and clear: me. For the same reason every writer, artist, creator continues on; especially, when they see it is a journey with an ever changing landscape: because nobody will ever write, paint, create what you can. So, if we stopped or only did the same thing over and over, there truly would be nothing new under the sun. As it is, we carry on, and create the new and ever changing landscape of the world and of our lives.

A new year. A place in our calendar of time in which we look at the potential of a clean slate. New beginnings, perhaps also endings. As an ever-curious-artist I look at what has been, but more so at what will be. Hitting block for a period of time, my first BIG block, caused me to panic. Finding that others hit these blocks was comforting, in that we all want to know we are not alone during challenging times. Now, as the creative juices of curiosity begin to flow, once again, images appearing at my apparent inspirational hour of 3AM….I venture once again into that space of timelessness and unselfconsciousness. The place where I disappear and something begins to appear, take on a life, and make itself known. I am as curious as you are, to see what that might be.

“Always thank those who support your succes, for they are the reason you are successful.”

When I visit a gallery, I love to find the artist(s) available to speak with. There is nothing more interesting than to discover who the person is behind the creation(s). In asking questions such as “what inspired you to paint this?”, “what do you love about this piece”, and “where do you see yourself, as an artist, five years from now?”, I learn so much. First of all, I have learned that we, artists, are more the same than different in terms of our inspirations and aspirations and, secondly, I learn to view the art from the perspective of the artist.

What we see is how we choose to see it. The more we know about what we are looking at, the more options we have (beyond our own perspective) to appreciate what is there. When I view my art from the perspective of my worst (imagined) critic, I want to quit altogether. When I view my art from the perspective of best supporter, the one who knows I have done my best, I want to keep creating, keep discovering what lies within.

In fact, I am my own best and worst critic and how I choose to see determines the future I create. I am inclined to believe that only by leaving the narrow confines of our limited personal perspective, can we observe the bigger picture. We leave that narrow confine by asking the questions, by hearing the stories.

It occurred to me that all of the art that I do is a “self portrait” of sorts, in that it is a visual expression of some part of my own mind, heart, and soul. It is an activation of inspiration and a reflection of a moment in time, a glimpse of my life as I am experiencing it in that moment. When I view my art from this perspective, it is a revelation to me of who I am, how I am feeling, what I am thinking, what I dream of, or what I desire.

My art seldom includes a human form, but when it does, it is usually as viewed from the back and in a meditation position. I find that meditation is the quiet time I need to discover the peace that resides in my heart when all else around me is in turmoil. The human form is naked, because it is the most vulnerable, yet honest way to commune with nature or to face the world without an ego or a mask.

I have always had an affinity for the Asian aesthetic, and have been inspired time after time by the sheer artistry of the simple kimono. It is an item of clothing that embraces the body with the beauty of nature, or tells a story of a season or boasts a combination of colors that aim to please the eye. On it’s very own, it is an object to admire due to the shape that contains the images or colors, not just something to be worn but also displayed.

When abstracts happen, nothing or everything is happening in my life. It is at these times that I find an anchor to that moment of nothing or everything by painting in an abstract style. The viewer may see some image within the abstract, or may see nothing at all. For me, the abstract painting is the very best way to express a love of color and shape. It may be tightly contained within lines or boxes, or it may flow freely in all directions. Either way, the abstract is a vehicle for a pure desire to express outside of ordinary boundaries.

I am not a painter of animals. Yet, I have been drawn again and again to the horse and finally had the desire to paint the images that best represent why I have this attraction to this particular animal. What I discovered are the quietly powerful, strong and graceful qualities that epitomize the “horse” image in my mind. Whether in motion or not, the horse represents a sense of freedom that exists in the wild mustang as well as the most well-trained equestrian type. If I were to be asked what is most important to me in my life, the answer would be: freedom.

I have tried again and again to rein in my painting/works of art to a particular style, subject or genre, to no avail. My imagination simply refuses to allow itself to be limited and promises to die from sheer boredom should I ever entertain this idea again. I have to listen to my heart, not the world. So, I am resigned (happily) to the fact that my bodies of work will embrace multi-faceted types of paintings, assemblages, and interior designs. Within these works, there is a similarity of style that becomes recognizable with a familiarity to my work. And if desired, I can only show the abstracts or the kimonos, or the assemblages, etc. But, it won’t be a reflection of my total self as an artist, just a part. And that’s okay, too.
Sent from my iPad

We live in a world of duality. And that results in our ability to make choices. We couldn’t make choices if we didn’t know what our choices were. So we see the good and the bad, the best and the worst, the beautiful and the ugly, the intelligence and the stupidity…. This is the sight given to us by our Free Will. Free Will doesn’t allow us to see the duality so that we can judge, criticize, and become arrogant or egotistical. We see the duality so that we can do one simple thing…choose. Choose which you will focus on, choose what you will love, choose what you will put your energy into…and leave the rest to others, for their choosing. Leave it behind without a thought. Because once you have chosen, you have made your next step forward on your own unique path of life.

Sometimes I post photos of my art, through social media, which is really just something “craftsy” and simple. I don’t post them to get rave reviews or kudos for a job well done. I appreciate the friends who are kind enough to “like” them, because I recognize support when it comes my way. I post these photos as one way to use social media to keep my confidence. You see, for me it is important to remember that no act of creativity is too small or insignificant, there is no such thing as a creation being “not up to snuff” or “not good enough”. This is how I rid myself of the fear of being judged or of creating things the world doesn’t like or that other artists will not appreciate. Those are meaningless fears that have no place in my life…but they come (and I know I’m not alone with these fears)….and I make them go. I make them go by posting photos of cards or small gifts I have made….and any attempt that was made to have a work in progress….because whatever I have created represents the fact that a creative force is moving through me, and this is what it “made” today and because it was the best or the most I could do on that particular day. For me, this is what being an artist, and creating is all about…it’s how I take my place in the world; it’s how I learn to be the me I choose to be.